American Masters

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

This program is an in-depth portrait of James Baldwin, one of the greatest American authors of the 20th century. Using archival material that reflects Baldwin's worldwide influence and appeal, the film includes interviews with family members, friends and notable colleagues, including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, William Styron, Amiri Baraka, Richard Avedon, and Bobby Short, among others. Segments were filmed in France, Turkey, and Harlem, all places where Baldwin lived. Through Baldwin's work as a writer (ever since his first book in 1953, "Go Tell It On The Mountain"), he has helped mobilize the civil rights movement, brought new awareness and compassion to both black and white readers, and shed light on what it is like to be black in America.